Second this.
Mentioned the conversation to my Sqn OC who has asked for all the details directly from the cadets so it’s directly from the horses mouth. Once she gets it I’m sure it will get fired up the chain.
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That’s good to hear. Any staff member suggesting something shouldn’t be reported because ‘it looks bad’ is not right for this organisation. I know a few people with that attitude sometimes, and it stinks… But to say it to cadets reporting theft is absurd.
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This should never have happened.
I was tasked with crowd line in 2012 (wet) and 2013 (hot) and on both occasions the flights were stood down in the rest tents while the Crowdline staff on golf buggies “patrolled” the crowd line as the conditions were not suitable for Cadets to be sat in given the exposure.
Why that didnt happen this year i cannot think of a suitable answer
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There absolutely would have been…with H&S Officer in place too
I could understand if the staff had said sorry their isn’t much that could be done once the theft had happened. It’s not as if 100% of all luggage in camp could be checked for the stolen items.
Issue with theft on big camps is that it’s impossible to find out the people doing it unless caught in the act. I’m assuming although have never done riat as it was tents their wasn’t any semi secure storage that you could padlock wooden footlockers or so on?
Obviously significantly easier if it’s a camp of 20 people to try and find stolen items but even then stolen uniform items IE Combats/Boots and so on would be nearly impossible to but yeah what they told me didn’t sit right at all.
honestly, welfare were one of the best things on the entire camp. they did stay mainly on the camp site, but they also went along the crowd line with squash and sweets (at least on my shift not sure about others)
also several flights had some more welfare/safeguarding issues which were all handled in a manner that was reassuring and actually got stuff done and fixed
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From the CAS, if someone wearing a ‘blue suit’ or other CFAV cannot uphold these standards, then the door is that way ---------->. How you can complain about discipline respect and care for other if you don’t follow what the CAS has said.
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This is very much the issue.
JIs always stated tthere is no secure storage and items are brought at own risk…
…I’m not suggesting thry deserved thrir possessions being stolen but if they are thst appealing to others there will always be temptation for the few
I get that it was clear in the JIs that their was no secure storage but Items that went missing include essential items of kit such as MTP uniform & stable belts & personal Civilian Clothing plus some less essential stuff & nice things that were acquired from air crew badges and so on. so while their might be some part of why did you bring x & Y with no secure storage available other items they were required to bring to operate or were acquired at RIAT itself.
But anyway it is a shame that our cadets and CFAVs can not trust that their property will be safe with other CFAVs and cadets but I guess that’s the world we live in.
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Maybe the RAFAC need to have a couple of lockable containers with racking and the keys left with staff and controlled entry. It happens in the chalet areas where there is a bag drop.
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In fact the last time I was in the chalets some years ago, IIRC cadets were managing the facility.
was there as well and from my perspective.
- CAC was there but never got across to the Cadet Compound unfortunately (for whatever reason, good / bad or indifferent).
- Vorders did though and I know that went down very well, and was seen as a good show.
- Breakfast / Dinner - very good and edible chef’s and staff did well in trying conditions.
- Lunches - poor / mould on the Banana cakes (lots of them), no doubt the RAFAC guys would have paid a lot for them - hope that they put in a complaint.
- Crowd line - there were Cadets out there for a while and CI’s / Staff pulled off / readjusted timings and went back out there. Were advised that they were needed to allow RIAT to continue but were not (to my mind) forced into going back.
- Thefts - heard some rumours that some stuff went missing but personally thought the exception / not the rule.
- Comms - overall OK and Radio Guys tried really hard - heat / chatter and pressure was a factor but they done well.
- Admin staff - good I thought with the exception of trying to get out to sort out some situations with RIAT - on site personnel - but first event in 3 years so I’d like to think rusty.
- First Aid - there were a good few heat injuries over the time there however it was the hottest days of the year and exceptional temperatures. Shame the Cadets were kept back on final day but wasn’t really much chance to let them loose.
- Wellbeing Team - excellent - done sterling work in trying conditions - no air conditioned tents there.
- Cadets - really good that I interacted with - very few shirkers although a good few left (due to heat)?
- Staff - really good that I interacted with as well. Goes to show the Staff we have are keen / diligent and try exceedingly hard to give the best possible experience for the cadets they were in charge of.
- Camp - setup overall good - Toilets and showers overall very good and reasonably clean (there were lots of people there.
- Returning?? - as a straw poll - I’d say approx 75 % of those I talked to had interest in returning / and of the cadets I took - all said they would go again as well. Approx 25% said thanks but no way! But I don;t think these people were lazy, or looking for an easy ride, It was very hard without a doubt. Luckily I got an in-depth brief by member of Admin Staff prior and that allowed me to go in with my eyes open. It is a tough few days - without a doubt.
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Ok. So i had a few cadets at RIAT.
Here is the universal feedback.
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Amazing camp, amazing time, would 100% go again.
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There was thieving. ALOT.
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Yes, mouldy sandwiches. But not all.
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None even knew the Comdt was there…asked if they knew carol was. Immediatly they lit up and all were saying yes, saw her etc etc.
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Loads of medical heat issues and cadets medivaced out due heat stroke.
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The organisation was poor at times…verging on chaos, such as when recalled to camp on Saturday. No one knew what was going on.
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But all reiterated they would go again.
It was really telling the answers they gave, matching without prompting the info already discussed.
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Interesting, mine said mouldy cake!
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Was it a sandwich cake perchance?
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Definitely cake. The sandwiches were fine.
Also worth noting the camp site lunches (all except Fri-Sun) were, like breakfast and dinner, very decent.
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Yes. this aligns with what mine said. They rated the meals on the camp site highly and were all amazing, but were very unimpressed with the lunches they had on the show days.
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This.
Pavked lunches on show days are always a lowlight of the meals on offer…but mainly cos mess meals are of high quality and quantity of choice